1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to beverage dispensing urns of the type having a faucet for dispensing the beverage from the bottom of the urn and a top with an inlet for direct receipt of freshly brewed beverage from a coffee brewer or the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Beverage dispensing urns of the type having a top with an inlet for direct receipt of brewed beverage into a hollow, insulated urn body and a manually operable faucet at the bottom for selectively dispensing beverage from the urn into a carafe or serving cups are well known. These dispensing urns generally include a level indicating sight in the form of a glass, plastic or other transparent tube in fluid communication with the beverage in the container such that the level of the beverage within the sight corresponds to the level of the beverage within the hollow body of the urn. The sight and the level of the beverage in the sight is visible from outside of the dispensing urn to enable a user to determine the quantity of beverage contained within the urn without opening the top.
A serious problem with the tubular sights is that after use they become stained or coated with beverage residue. However, even though they must be regularly cleaned for purposes of sanitation and so that the residue does not contaminate and adversely affect the taste and quality of the beverage. Unfortunately, in know urns the small diameters and elongate bodies of the sight tubes renders it very difficult if not impossible to clean the sight tubes and their connections to the urn thoroughly without disassembly.
Consequently, excessive time and labor is spent maintaining the urns in a sanitary condition or they are used in an unclean condition with resultant bad effects on the taste or quality of the beverage. Because of this sanitation problem such urns are not qualified for use with milk products require higher standards of cleanliness than coffee dispensers because of the different nature of the beverages and the different potentials of harm resulting from lack of thorough cleaning. It is believed that there are no beverage dispensers with transparent tubular, level sights, or gauges, approved by the FDA, for use in dispensing milk and other milk products because of the inability to easily clean such level gauges.
In the case of a hot beverage, such as coffee, the temperature decreases over time. In addition, the beverage also deteriorates over time due to contact with the air within the urn from the time it is first brewed directly into the dispensing urn. However, there is there is no way to ascertain the temperature of the beverage in the urn or the quality of the beverage without dispensing a sample for testing or measurement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing urn that overcomes one or more of the foregoing disadvantages of the known dispensing urns noted above.
This objective is achieved in part by providing a dispensing urn assembly having a hollow body with an interior surface for containing beverage and extending between a top with an inlet for receiving beverage and a bottom, and a manually operable faucet attached to an exterior surface of the body adjacent the bottom for selectively dispensing beverage from the hollow body with an electronic status indicator having means attached to the exterior of the dispensing urn to display a condition of the beverage within the hollow body, means for electronically sensing a condition of the beverage within the hollow body, and means for actuating the display means to provide an indication of the beverage condition in response to the electronic condition sensing means. the beverage condition is quantity of beverage contained within the hollow body.
Preferably, the condition sensing means includes means for sensing the temperature of the beverage and the display means includes means to display both temperature and quantity. The temperature display includes at least one of (a) a graphic display, (b) a numerical display or (c) an indicator light.
In addition or by itself, the condition sensing means may include a timer and means for restarting the timer each time beverage is added to the hollow body. In such case, the restarting means includes means for restarting the timer by one of (a) manual actuation of a restart switch or (b) means for automatically restarting the timer in response to the addition of beverage to the hollow body.
The objective of the invention is also obtained in part by providing in association with a dispensing urn assembly having a hollow body with an interior surface for containing beverage and extending between a top with an inlet for receiving beverage and a bottom, and a manually operable faucet attached to an exterior surface of the body adjacent the bottom for selectively dispensing beverage from the hollow body, a method of indicating a condition of the beverage contained within the urn by performing the steps of providing on the exterior of the dispensing urn a display for displaying a condition of the beverage within the hollow body, electronically sensing a condition of the beverage within the hollow body, and actuating the display to provide an indication of the beverage condition in response to the electronic condition sensing means.
Moreover, the objective is acquired by providing a dispensing urn assembly having a hollow body with an interior surface for containing beverage and extending between a top and a bottom, and a manually operable faucet attached to an exterior surface of the body adjacent the bottom for selectively dispensing beverage from the hollow body with an electronic status indicator having means for electronically indicating a condition of the beverage contained within the hollow body, a battery power supply for powering the condition indicating means, and a removable inlet assembly removably mounted to a mounting hole in the top of the dispensing urn body to pass beverage into the hollow body and carrying a power switch actuator for actuating a power switch to selectively connect the battery power supply to the condition indicating means depending upon the relative position of the inlet assembly with respect to the top.
The objective is also obtained partly by providing a dispensing urn assembly having a hollow body with an interior surface for containing beverage and extending between a top and a bottom, and a faucet attached to an exterior surface of the body adjacent the bottom for selectively dispensing beverage from the hollow body, with an electronic status indicator having a funnel assembly with a funnel and a hollow down-tube extending downwardly from the funnel outlet and carrying an electronic beverage sensor, a water tight electronic component housing containing an electronic display and a controller for controlling the display in response to electrical signals from the electronic beverage sensor a relatively rigid, hollow, water tight connection between the funnel assembly and the electronic component housing and carrying electrical leads between the electronic beverage sensor and the controller.
In the preferred embodiment, the electronic beverage sensor is one of a plurality of level sensors. The electronic component housing and the water tight connection are integrally formed together to define a single self contained component of the urn. An elongate watertight channel mounted to and carried along an outer side of the down-tube for carrying the electrical leads provides a watertight passageway to the funnel assembly. The funnel assembly includes a funnel housing providing a watertight enclosure around the funnel and providing a dry passageway between the beverage sensor and the connection to the electronic component module that is attached to the funnel housing. The display includes graphic, incremental display of beverage level and also graphic, incremental displays of elapsed time. A new elapsed time is started when an increase in the level of the beverage is detected. The funnel assembly is supported within an inlet opening in the top of the hollow body and the electronic component housing and display and connection with the funnel assembly are supported by a cover base and held in position by an overlying movably mounted cover closure.